Prep Blog

So perennial Division II schools Granite Bay, Woodcreek, Rocklin from the Sierra Foothill League and Kennedy and McClatchy from the Metro Conference find themselves in Division I this season, joining perennial powers Davis and Jesuit.

Since 1997, Jesuit has won seven section banners and Davis six, including last season's 5-3 penalty-kick win over the Marauders.

Top-seeded Jesuit (21-1-1), led by California career coaching wins leader Paul Rose, plays host to Vallejo and Napa visits sixth-seeded Davis (12-4-5) in 3 p.m. first-round matches Tuesday. Davis is coached by Alex Park, who replaced longtime Blue Devils coach Ashley Yudin before the season started.

Granite Bay (17-3-1) has played in four of the last six D-II title games, winning three times. In its inaugural D-I foray, the Grizzlies are a No. 2 seed and will play host to Monterey Trail on Tuesday.

Metro Conference champion McClatchy (16-0-2) comes into the 16-team D-I tournament as one of the section's few undefeated teams. The Lions, coached by Vaughn Boyce, have allowed only three goals and are seeded No. 3. They will play host to Chavez of Stockton on Tuesday.

In other divisional playoff highlights:

• Defending D-II champion Bella Vista (16-0-2) is the No. 1 seed in that division.

• A new champion is guaranteed to be crowned in D-III as two-time defending champion Natomas failed to qualify for the postseason.

• Two-time defending champion Vista del Lago (11-2-2) is the D-IV No. 1 seed.

• 2011 runner-up West Campus (17-2-2) is the top seed in D-V.

• In D-VI, Encina (9-7-1) is seeking to become the first area boys soccer team to win four consecutive section titles. But it won't be easy. Defending D-V champion Capital Christian (13-3-3) is now in D-VI and seeded No. 1.

Encina beat Capital Christian 2-1 in overtime in 2009 for its first section title.

Here is the complete first-round playoff pairings:

(All matches at 3 p.m.)
DIVISION I
First round
Tuesday's matches
Vallejo at Jesuit
Kennedy at Woodcreek
Merced at Modesto
Edison at Armijo
Chavez at McClatchy
Napa at Davis
Franklin-Stockton at West-Tracy
Monterey Trail at Granite Bay

Thursday's matches
Second round
Vallejo/Jesuit vs. Kennedy/Woodcreek
Merced/Modesto vs. Edison/Armijo
Chavez/McClatchy vs. Napa/Davis
Franklin-Stockton/West vs. Monterey Trail/Granite Bay

DIVISION II
First round
Tuesday's matches
Burbank at Bella Vista
Del Oro at Lodi
Whitney at Ponderosa
Atwater at McNair
Del Campo at Grant
Folsom at Vintage
Downey at Rio Linda
Johansen at Turlock

Thursday's matches
Second round
Burbank/Bella Vista vs. Del Oro/Lodi
Whitney/Ponderosa vs. Atwater/McNair
Del Campo/Grant vs. Folsom/Vintage
Downey/Rio Linda vs. Johansen/Turlock

DIVISION III
Out-bracket
Tuesday's matches
Pioneer at Vanden
Oakdale at Central Valley
El Camino at River Valley
Yuba City at Cosumnes Oaks

First round
Thursday's matches
Pioneer/Vanden at Manteca
Oakdale/Central Valley at Benicia
River Valley/El Camino at Patterson
Yuba City/Cosumnes Oaks at Rio Americano

DIVISION IV
First round
Thursday's matches
Ceres at Vista del Lago
Dixon at Lincoln
Colfax at Sierra-Manteca
Galt at Placer

DIVISION V
First round
Thursday's matches
Ripon at West Campus
Venture Academy-Stockton at Linden
Highlands at Delhi
Bret Harte at Riverbank

DIVISION VI
First round
Thursday's matches
Holt Academy at Capital Christian
Hilmar at Cristo Rey
Millennium at Encina
Summerville at Gustine

DIVISION VII
First round
Thursday's matches
ROP/Sierra Ridge at Sacramento Country Day
Ripon Christian at Global Youth Charter
Vacaville Christian at Faith Christian
Trinity Prep at Victory Christian